


when everything is over

by shazamitylam



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, SUMMARY CONTAINS SPOILERS, endgame spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 06:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10076891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shazamitylam/pseuds/shazamitylam
Summary: It's all over, and the three of them face their fallen king.





	

Noct’s hands have always been cold. Even through the gloves, Prompto could feel a vague chill as they locked their fingers together, palm to palm, sharing secret smiles and laughing at the exasperated sighs of the others-

They’re cold now. His hands and Noct’s. He wishes he could warm them up.

“Prompto,” Gladio says lowly. “We have to-”

“I know,” Prompto answers quietly. “I just need to...he…”

Ignis is slowly stepping up the stairs, and Prompto wants to stop him, to spare him the pain. Except none of them are free of it now, are they? He stays silent as Ignis stands in front of Noctis’s slouched body, chokes back an unwelcome crash of memories.

Because Noctis used to sleep like that, sometimes. He’d lean forward in his sleep, and Ignis would sigh and gently push on his shoulders to get him upright again, maybe even act as a pillow himself.

Ignis places his hands on Noctis’s shoulders, as gently as he would if he were just asleep. He doesn't push Noct upright, doesn’t touch the sword that _someone's going to have to pull out, and Prompto doesn’t know if he could stand to be there-_

Instead, Ignis lifts his hands to Noctis’s face. His thumbs trace the faint cheekbones, softly pass over the closed eyelids, press upon the chapped lips.

Prompto wants to turn away, to close his eyes. But he stands by their side, watching. Watching because Ignis can't, because soon Noctis will be gone and Prompto will never see his best friend again, even if it's just...just a body now.

Ignis has his head down, lips moving in a silent goodbye. Gladio stands behind them, a stolid presence no matter the waves of loss that wash over them. Prompto grasps Noctis’s cold, cold hands and imagines one last time that they are warm.


End file.
